On November 4, the Russian "Sirius-2021" confined space international experiment was launched in Moscow. The six volunteers involved in the experiment will spend 8 months in a confined space. It is reported that the experiment was completed at the base of the Institute of Medical Biology of the Russian Academy of Sciences. During the experiment, volunteers will also "get out of the capsule" to achieve a virtual landing on the lunar surface.
Organizers of Russia's Sirius-2021 confined space international experiment said they had only finalized the list of volunteers the day before the experiment began. The volunteers were Astronaut Instructor Brinov from Russia, Surgeon Kirichenko and researcher Kalyakina, Russian-speaking student Bubrow from the United States, Kovallisky, representative of the Aerospace Mission Control Center, and Al-Ameli, an aerospace test pilot from the United Arab Emirates.
During the 240-day experiment, volunteers will complete several missions, including flying to the moon, flying around the moon in search of landing sites, virtually exiting the capsule and returning to Earth. The experiment organizers specially prepared astronaut helmets and spacesuits with virtual reality for volunteers. Volunteers on the outgoing mission will collect lunar soil and maneuver the lunar rover. It is reported that throughout the experiment, volunteers will remain in a separate ground system, and the connection with the experimental command center will be achieved through voice communication. In addition, they are also allowed to use email to contact family and relatives and friends.
In order to realize the dream of exploring the universe, human beings need to do a lot of preparation. Long-term experiments in confined space, where space flight is simulated, are one of them. Russia has been engaged in relevant practices for many years. The "Mars-500" project 11 years ago and the "Moon-2015" project 6 years ago have left a deep impression on us.
The Sirius Confined Space International Experiment is a long-term project launched by the institute in 2017. Because the English abbreviation "sirius" of the International Experiment in Confined Space is exactly what the English sirius means, and Sirius is one of the brightest stars in the night sky. Researchers believe that the name indicates that one day humans can complete long-distance space flights and reach more distant stars.
The purpose of the experiment is to simulate the environment in space on the ground and understand the health status and working ability of the crew in a long-term closed environment. Prepare for future manned lunar exploration and Mars exploration flights.
△ Sergei Bonomarev
Sergei Bonomarev, head of the Russian Confined Space International Research Project, said: "I have a lot of data on chemistry and psychology, such as how crews of different sexes adapt to special environments. Most of these scientific research results have been published, and some are in preparation for publication. ”
Bonomarev said this is only part of the results, and another part of the significance of the experiment will be revealed after the real lunar exploration flight. In the past 10 years, we have impressed with ground simulation experiments such as "Mars-500" and "Moon-2015" at the Institute of Medical Biology of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Chinese volunteer Wang Yue has participated in the "Mars-500" experiment.
△ Anna Kusmauli
Anna Kusmauli, an expert at the Institute of Medical Biology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, said: "We often think of Wang Yue, although he encountered many difficulties in the experiment, but he performed very well. We hope that the experience he gained in his experiments will be helpful to his future work. ”
Six years ago, Kusmauli passed the selection to become a member of the "Moon-2015" project. She and five other Russian female researchers spent eight days in confined space simulating a lunar vehicle. This is exactly the time it takes For Russia to launch a spacecraft from the country's Eastern Cosmodrome and fly around the moon.
Kusmauli said: "When we work as project staff on the periphery, we often don't understand why the people in the cabin are abnormal. It's only when you're working in the cabin that you'll understand what the experiment requires of volunteers. ”
Kusmauli said that isolation in a confined spacecraft is different from our isolation under the epidemic and requires tremendous psychological and physical stress. She said she had a dream of exploring the universe, which is also a dream shared by all mankind. She believes that with the joint efforts of scientists from all over the world, human beings will surely gain more mysteries of the universe in the future. (Reporter Song Yiping)
Source: CCTV news client